Hearing Tests in Taunton and Somerset
Personalised for your unique listening world.
What is the impact of hearing loss?
Did you know that one in five adults in the UK has hearing loss? And that here in Somerset, it is closer to one in four adults?
That means 12 million people are affected in the UK, all facing different communication challenges that can lead to frustration and loneliness.
As with the gradual loss of eyesight and not seeing clearly, hearing loss impacts our ability to hear clearly. In particular certain syllables, pitches and speech sounds become far more challenging for us to hear.
For example, high-pitched consonants like 'f, s and t' are easily lost by louder, low-pitched vowels like 'a, o and u'. This means that those with a hearing loss can feel that others are mumbling or not speaking clearly. This impact can be even more pronounced in a noisy environment, such as a restaurant or a busy meeting.
Left untreated, hearing loss can cause you to withdraw because conversations and listening take so much more effort and mental energy.
You might think that losing your hearing with age is simply a nuisance, but were you aware that the Lancet found untreated hearing loss as the single biggest modifiable risk factor for dementia?
Normal Hearing
Visual Loss
Hearing Loss
Want to quickly check your hearing?
There are over 12 million people with hearing loss across the UK, that’s around one in five of us.
We offer full hearing tests with a qualified audiologist in our Taunton hearing practice or, if you prefer, in the comfort of your own home in Somerset.
However, if you want a quick check now, our free online hearing test takes just a few minutes to complete.
How do we hear?
Your ear is an incredibly essential organ that performs the fantastic and highly complex task of allowing you to hear and enjoy the sounds of your life. Your ears can separate around seven thousand different pitches, and they also enable your brain to locate sound sources. They know where the sound is coming from through both ears working together in partnership to give you binaural hearing.
The human ear consists of three parts: the outer, middle, and inner ear.
Outer ear:
Your outer ear picks up sound waves as you listen and transmits these to the eardrum through your ear canals.
Middle ear:
These transmitted sound waves cause your eardrum to vibrate in response. The tiny bones (ossicles) in your middle ear, called the malleus, incus, and stapes, pass these vibrations into your inner ear.
Inner ear:
Your cochlea converts the movements of the ossicles into electrical signals; your auditory nerve then transmits these signals and hearing information to your brain.
It's pretty amazing when you think about it!
What causes hearing loss?
Hearing impairments can occur in all three parts of the ear; dysfunctions of the outer or middle ear can usually be treated with medication, surgery, or, in the case of excess earwax, our safe earwax removal treatment.
However, a large percentage of hearing loss is caused by damage or wear to the inner ear. Today, our modern digital hearing aids can compensate for most inner ear damage and allow you to enjoy hearing the sounds of your life again.
"How wonderful to find a truly independent professional in this world of large corporates. I have no hesitation in recommending Blackdown Hearing for their knowledge, kindness, understanding and professionalism. Truly life-changing for me."
Sue. Taunton
What would you like to happen next?
Our promise to you:
✔ We will carry out a full hearing health assessment
✔ We will ensure your ears are healthy
✔ We will answer any questions you may have about your hearing
✔ We will explain your results clearly
✔ We will recommend hearing aids only if you need them
What happens in your hearing test?
Hearing test at home appointments are also available
We can provide our hearing tests in our Taunton hearing practice or, if you prefer, in the comfort of your own home in the following Somerset towns and TA postcodes.